SECRETARY OF SPIN

Katie Zacharia’s Legal Scandal Hit With Fresh Blow

The press secretary’s defense of her legal record sparked even more controversy.

White House Press Secretary Katie Zacharia misled the public about her legal qualifications and experience practicing law in numerous interviews, the Daily Beast has found.

Despite failing the California bar exam in 2011 after attending Pepperdine University, Zacharia, 41, repeatedly presented herself as someone who had practiced corporate law in China.

In at least two interviews, Zacharia also affirmed that she was an attorney—which can be considered an unauthorized practice of law.

Zacharia drew scrutiny on Tuesday after appearing unwilling to answer reporters’ questions about her legal record, replying to questions about where she took her bar exam with: “When I moved to China.”

Foreign nationals cannot practice law in China. And despite years of marketing herself as a lawyer on networks across the political spectrum, no record shows the conservative pundit passing the bar in any state.

Zacharia attempted damage control on Thursday, telling The New York Times in a brief phone call that she consulted with Pepperdine’s president when she began appearing on news shows. According to Zacharia, the president told her she could call herself a “lawyer” but not an “attorney” or “esquire.”

A spokesperson for the private Christian school’s president did not immediately respond to questions from the Daily Beast.

If her statement is true, it would also suggest that Zacharia was cautioned against calling herself an attorney but did so anyway.

During an appearance on Real America With Dan Bell on One America News Network, for example, Bell asks, “Katie, you’re the attorney… is this legal?” referring to an unspecified political move by California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Rather than correct him, Zacharia replies, “Gavin Newsom has not cared about what’s legal.”

In another clip resurfaced by independent outlet Popular Information, podcast host Jason Ingbger asks her: “You were an attorney there (in Beijing),” to which Zacharia replies “yes.”

Fox News has also described Zacharia as an attorney in its chyron. A spokesperson did not respond to questions about the network’s booking process for legal analysts.

Zacharia has also repeatedly claimed on network shows and podcasts that she has “practiced corporate law” in China. But Gary Gao, a partner at Zhong Lun Law Firm, where Zacharia claimed to work, told The Times that, while the firm hired foreigners for language assistance, “they are not practicing Chinese law at any time.” He then likened her role to that of a paid internship.

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Legal experts have also questioned whether Zacharia’s repeated references to herself as a “lawyer” on television and podcasts are misleading. Even more misleading, perhaps, is that the president himself gushed over Zacharia’s legal credentials, calling her an “attorney.”

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Laura EspositoBreaking News Reporter

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